Fire-escape



(No Model.)

J. s. CRAWFORD.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Nov. 10, 1896.

THE norms PETERS $0.. Pnnmumo WASHXNGTON, n. c.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JONATHAN S. CRAWFORD, OFSORANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,908, dated November 10, 1896.

Application filed February 26, 1896. Serial No. 580,789. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JONATHAN S. CRAW- FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertain's to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object to provide a safe landing for persons who in case of fire are compelled to jump from the upper stories of buildings, and is designed to be sufficiently light and portable, so that it may be carried with any complete firemens outfit, so as to be on hand whenever the emergency for its use may arise.

To this end the invention consists of the construction and combination of the several parts herein set forth, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention with certain parts removed to show the details of construction and with dotted lines to show the operation thereof. Fig; 2 is a view of the same, taken at right angles to that of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line w y of part of Fig. 2, showing in dotted lines the position of a cross-beam used. my device in use.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts in the several views.

In the views, A designates the main or corner posts of the framework of my device, and A is the textile covering of the body of the device, which may be nailed to the framework, or otherwise fastened, so that it presents a neat appearance.

B B designate wings hinged to opposite sides of the body of my device at h 72, which in the drawings appear square, although it may be constructed in any rectangular shape. These wings consist of framework Z) Z) and cushions c c, the said cushions being composed of upholstcring over spiral springs drawn into an oblique position 0. The base Fig. 4 shows of the device is made up by a wooden frame D, having its corners strengthened by L- shaped metallic plates (1, or other suitable means. At the four corners are four upright posts of equal length, each composed of two boards running the whole length of the post, and the lower halves of each of said boards having nailed to them the triangular strips a a a a, in such position as to make a sort of casing to contain the heavy spiral springs S S S S in each of the posts. The posts may be braced to the base-frame by braces in the position indicated by dotted lines It) 7t. A cross-beam E, having its respective ends eX- tending through a corner-post and the said ends resting on top of the large springs S, is disposed at either side of the device. These cross-beams are prevented from slipping endwise by a small block 6 nailed on each end where it extends beyond the corner-posts. On the plane formed by these two cross-beams is an area composed of slats or other suitable means on which is a series of spiral springs 8 8,850. like those used in ordinary bedspringmattresses. Over the tops of these series-of springs is formed another area by stretching a strong fabric f, which is constructed of heavy duck-cloth or other suitable material and serves as an area or base for a second series of springs of a similar kind to those last mentioned and designated 8 s, the. On the top of this last series of springs is attached the cushion O, which is constructed of an ordinary bed-mattress or similarly-prepared cushion. The cross-beams E E are pressed downward until the four springs S, &c., are quite strongly compressed and are held down in that position by means of pins 19 p, 850.,

the wings thrown open either one of them will fit snugly to the wall \V, the line at I) being vertical when the base of the device sets on the level.

The operation of my device is as follows: In an emergency where a person to be rescued is obliged to jump from the upper story of a building the device is placed underneath the window or other point, so that the person F jumping from the window 10 will light as near as may be on the cushion C of the de vice. Should he by chance land against either of the wings, the arrangement is such that he is directed to the cushion O. This cushion, receiving the impetus of the falling person, depresses the upper series of springs s s, which depression is also partially shared by the second series of springs s s, &;c., and should the fall be a very violent one the depression would be transmitted to the heavy corner springs S S, &c., which are designed to arrest the most violent fall without injury to the device. It is thus seen that in a slight fall the cushion C would be depressed to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and in heavy falls the cross-beam E E would also be depressed to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and it will be understood that the power of my device in arresting a fall is cumulative, as the several series of springs act successively and in conjunction in the course of arresting the fall.

During transportation of the device it will be found convenient to fold the wings down in a horizontal position, as shown by dotted lines. The boards I) of one of the wings may be placed awider distance, apart than those of the other, so that the narrower wing may fold into the wider one, and thus economize space and add to the appearance. This, however, is not essential, and where both wings are of the same width the one which is folded down In a fire-escapethe combination of a main 4 or body portion consisting of a plurality of spring-mattresses disposed above one another, teXtile-fabric layers between them, cross-beams, large coil-springs supporting said mattresses and cross-beams, slotted corner-posts designed to permit vertical movement of the ends of the beams, and a pair of upholstered wings hinged to opposite sides of the said main portion, the said wings being adapted to be folded inward for the purpose of easy transportation and to be folded out- Ward in order to secure greater area for the landing of an escaping person, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JONATHAN S. ORAXVFORD. 1 \Vitnesses:

H. G. HIRLINGES, CHAs. \V. DAWSON. 

